Sun cities? Rajasthan solar projects under a cloud

According to reports, for a state considered a frontrunner in the solar energy sector, Rajasthan is falling behind in the ‘race for the sun’.

Its efforts to develop three solar cities in the state have been a damp squib even as cities in many other states have got their master plans approved by the Union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE).

The Centre has identified 54 places in the country for developing solar cities with three of them being in Rajasthan – Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer.

While nine cities have submitted master plans, Rajasthan is yet to make up its mind on when to start the exercise.

In case of Jaipur, the civic authority has failed to obtain an approval from the ministry, the first step for preparing the master plans.